Nave of the Basilica of St John, built 536-565
Nave of the Basilica of St John, built 536-565 AD under Emperor Justinian on the site of the apostle's tomb, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. St John the Evangelist spent his last years in Ephesus and died here. In the 4th century a church was erected over his tomb but in the 6th century Justinian ordered the construction of a large, 6-domed basilica built of stone and brick with marble columns in a Greek cross plan, the ruins of which we see today. The church measures 130x56m and was an important Christian pilgrimage site, attaining the status of Church of the Cross. The domes were over the central crossing, choir, transepts and nave. Five domes rested on solid piers in the corners of the cross and surmounted the arms and centre crossing, held in place by massive marble pillars. Storks now nest on the capitals of the columns on the upper storey of the nave arcade or narthex, seen here. The church interior would have been covered with frescoes, and the vaults with mosaics. An earthquake in the 14th century destroyed most of the building. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city founded in the 10th century BC, and later a major Roman city, on the Ionian coast near present day Selcuk. Picture by Manuel Cohen
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Arcade Attaining Capitals Corners Domes Earthquake Ephesus Erected Evangelist Frescoes Ionian Izmir Justinian Massive Measures Mosaics Narthex Ordered Piers Pilgrimage Pillars Rested Selcuk Solid Spent Status Storey Storks Surmounted Transepts Vaults
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